It has been a while – almost a month – since I last perused over some of my earlier thoughts, and a lot has changed since then. For starters, the pre- and post-exam blues have long since disappeared, washed away by what I hope are the last of May’s showers. We may constantly cringe and complain about the ceaseless cloudburst, but little do we acknowledge how such insipid weather is irrefutably important in sustaining Vancouver’s verdure. Which brings me to my point: Vancouver is truly a park-lover’s paradise!
To begin with, there is the ever-famous, overly-touristy yet surprisingly-pristine Stanley Park. And it is all that for numerous reasons. For instance, this respectably sized patch of evergreen forest is located on it own island of sorts, forming a narrow isthmus between two cities across the river-mouth, connecting two metropolises. What’s more, this park is surrounded by an idyllic seawall, with a splendid biking path overlooking a rocky shore and short stretches of sandy beaches. Though the image this description conjures may seem cliched or even contrived, Stanley Park is a much loved destination for outsiders and locals alike. Why, parts of X-men were filmed along this very seawall!
I could spend all day simply sitting here, reading, feeding the swans... but where is the time?
Had this been October, there would be more red and orange amidst the yellow.
In the heart of Vancouver lies another hidden gem – Queen Elizabeth Park. Located at a slightly higher elevation in the middle of suburbia, this park boasts some of the most bountiful botanical achievements, especially considering that this park was developed from the site of an old quarry, which explains some of the more geometric projections of its promontories – but nothing beats the spectacular panoramic views of the cityscape from atop some of the cliffs. It was while witnessing this particular view with a particular friend, while visiting Queen Elizabeth Park on a particularly tempestuous night after a particularly tumultuous month that I had an epiphany, one that forever changed the way I viewed things, and life itself. True story!
It is hard to believe that about a century back, all this was nothing but rock and mud!
A water body and fowl = the quintessential addition to any arboreal backdrop.
Outside of Vancouver, amidst an ancient evergreen forest on the western edge of the North Shore lies Lighthouse Park. Its relative remoteness makes it an ideal location for a convenient getaway from the hustle and bustle of the urban atmosphere. After traversing through the woods, one finds numerous ravines and cliffs, overlooking the Burrard Inlet. One could spend endless hours just sitting on these rocks, conversing with friends about anything and everything under the sun – and we did spend almost an entire day, lazing around on one such cliff, despite the bear warnings issued earlier. One particularly mellow fellow amongst our group reasoned that any bear that chose to cross our path that day could be easily encouraged to join him in enjoying a little bit of BC’s green goodness… and that we would be long gone before the bear would acquiesce to his munchies!
If you had a telescope, you could see UBC, just a few nautical miles across from this lighthouse!
If only I had this as my daily view...
Last, but not the least, is Buntzen Lake Park. The strangest thing about this park is that it is actually the property of BC Hydro. To the untrained eye, this would come across as just another ordinary park, but in reality, the ‘lake’ is a man-made reservoir, created as a result of constructing a hydroelectric dam. Nonetheless, this lake is surrounded by hills and mountains, full of charted and uncharted trails catering to all levels of cardiovascular fitness, ranging from the lame and tame lake-shore trails to longer lung-busting paths, such as Diez Vistas, which takes one to an elevation of 1000m in some spots. While traversing through this particular trail, one can get up close with the snow-line on some of the mountains – but nothing beats the once-in-a-lifetime experience of witnessing an adult bald-headed eagle teaching its young one to fly!
One of the many vistas on the Diez Vistas trail
Walking alongside one of the lake-shore trails
Last, but not the least, is UBC’s very own Nitobe Garden. The very name immediately brings to mind ideas of harmonious natural elements, cherry blossoms, a serene waterfall or two, rustic wooden bridges overlooking, wizened old monks sweeping patterns in the rock gardens, and all other such images one would associate with a limited exposure to Japanese culture and aesthetics, thanks to Hollywood – but this garden goes above and beyond! While delivering the stereotypical components, Nitobe Garden also offers one the luxury of truly experiencing a moment of Zen – the much needed peace of mind, which is especially appreciated when one decides to scale the Garden’s walls after hours, seeking a refuge from the ‘madding crowds’ of the adjacent dormitories, or campus security (if one was partying with the aforementioned dorm crowds). Here’s to the countless days (and nights) spent at Nitobe!
Reorganized Ramblings 